Police: Suspect in Jessica Ridgeway murder is 17-year-old boy

The Denver Post

Posted:
10/24/2012 11:25:11 AM MDT

Updated:
10/24/2012 12:34:00 PM MDT

Westminster Chief of Police, Lee Birk, talks to press, Wednesday October 24, 2012, outside the Westminster Police Department, to announce that they have arrested a 17 year old boy for investigation of the murder of Jessica Ridgeway. (RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post)

Westminster police have arrested a 17-year-old boy for investigation of the kidnapping and murder of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway.

Austin Reed Sigg was arrested late Tuesday night after police received a tip that led them to a home near Ketner Lake Open Space, according to a news release from the Westminster Police Department.

"This morning the Ridgeway family was notified of this arrest," Westminster Police Chief Lee Birk said. "We hope and pray this arrest gives them some measure of closure in dealing with their horrible loss and tragedy."

The Associated Press has reported that Sigg's mother said the boy turned himself in. "I made the phone call, he turned himself in. That's all I have to say."

Authorities also said that charges will be filed against Sigg for the May 28 attempted abduction of an adult jogger near Ketner Lake, which authorities confirmed earlier this week was connected to Jessica's kidnapping and murder.

Sigg will be charged with two counts of murder in the first degree and a second-degree kidnapping charge, among others. He will make his first court appearance Thursday at 10 a.m. in Jefferson County.

According to police documents, Sigg is a student at Arapahoe Community College. On March 23, he won second place in the Crime Scene Investigation division of the Health Occupation Students of America State Leadership Conference competition.

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According to arrest documents, Sigg lives about a block west of Ketner Lake Open Space and about 1½ miles south of where Jessica Ridgeway was snatched from the street as she walked to school the morning of Oct. 5.

Police are blocking access to Sigg's home. A search warrant is being served on the home, Westminster police investigator Trevor Materasso said.

Police will release additional information at a news conference at 12:05 p.m. at the Westminster Police Department.

On Monday, police confirmed between Jessica's disappearance and the attempted abduction of an adult jogger on Memorial Day near Ketner Lake. That woman told authorities that a man attempted to cover her face with a chemical-soaked rag.

The woman said she initially jogged past the man before he grabbed her from behind, "trying to put a rag over her mouth. She said the rag had a chemical smell on it. She was able to get away and call 911 from her cellphone."

The woman described the man as white or light-skinned and between 18 and 30 years old, with brown hair and a medium build. He was about 5 feet 8 inches tall.

Jessica disappeared after she left her Westminster home to walk to school. Her dismembered body was found 11 miles away in an Arvada open space on Oct. 9.

Westminster Chief of Police, Lee Birk, talks to press, Wednesday October 24, 2012, outside the Westminster Police Department, to announce that they have arrested a 17-year-old boy for investigation of the murder of Jessica Ridgeway. (RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post)

A man stops to have a moment, Monday, Oct. 15, 2012, at memorial for Jessica Ridgeway along West 82nd Avenue in Arvada. (RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post)

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